Last Samurai Fends Off Super Stock in Poinsettia
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Photo: Coady Photography
Last Samurai outruns Super Stock in the Poinsettia Stakes at Oaklawn Park
Willis Horton's Last Samurai , beaten 13 1/2 lengths by Super Stock when fifth in the Arkansas Derby (G1) in April, turned the tables eight months later in another meeting Dec. 11 at Oaklawn Park, outrunning that rival in the $150,000 Poinsettia Stakes.
In the clear on the backstretch and second turn with an outside stalking trip, Last Samurai outkicked a ground-saving Super Stock, who had appeared poised to threaten when bidding between horses in the stretch. But the winner was too strong under veteran rider Jon Court and prevailed by three-quarters of a length.
"Well, you are never counted a winner (until) you cross the wire," said Court. "But I was just doing all I could possibly do to fend off my competitors and they were right there. We were all in the heat (of the battle). So I knew I had at least a good neck in front of them and I want to keep it that way. That margin was fine with me at the wire."
The winner raced 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.70 following splits of :23.90, :48.40, and 1:13.45 set by eventual third-place finisher Flash of Mischief . Favored Defeater ran fourth. Las Samurai returned $10.20 on a $2 win ticket.
Runner-up Super Stock, also the winner of the ungraded Runhappy Ellis Park Derby and Zia Park Derby over the second half of 2021, finished a length ahead of Flash of Mischief.
"I had so much horse turning for home. He ran his race the whole way," said Luis Contreras, who rode the runner-up. "I just got outrun."
A 3-year-old son of Malibu Moon trained by Dallas Stewart, Last Samurai notched his first stakes victory. Two starts ago, he had just missed a black-type win when second, beaten a neck, in the Greenwood Cup Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing. He is now 3-for-12 with earnings of $312,744.
"That's a really nice horse," Stewart said by phone from his primary New Orleans base at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. "Last trip at Oaklawn (Arkansas Derby when fifth), he ran a big race. He got in trouble. But, we really like him. I liked him in the spot today and he had a good trip. I think he's going to be a real nice 4-year-old."
Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings in Kentucky, the winner is out of the First Samurai mare Lady Samuri . She won the Lighthouse Stakes at Monmouth Park and ran third in the Molly Pitcher Stakes (G2) there. The dam has produced six foals with four racing and winning. One of her two unraced foals is a Good Magic yearling filly named Magic Up. Lady Samuri was bred to Maclean's Music for 2022.
Last Samurai was a $175,000 purchase by his owner from Gene Recio's consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training in 2020.